Newly married, Ghassan Bin Hammam came to get a graduate degree in the US, planning to return to Yemen to teach. But, on a quick trip back to visit his parents in Yemen, he got caught in the civil war there and his passport was destroyed. What followed was a two year battle against the anti-Muslim policies of the US. Separated from his wife and two small children in the US, he had only his faith and ingenuity to sustain him.
I Am An American Live is a production of the award-winning nonprofit The Immigrant Story. The stories were presented live at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, OR on Saturday, April 15, 2023. This series of events is part of the programming by the Oregon Rises Above Hate coalition, with the aim of drawing attention to the historic xenophobia experienced by the Asian American community in Oregon and across the U.S.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution by Anne Naito-Campbell. Additional funds for Programming has been provided by Ronald Naito Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and by a grant from the Oregon Heritage Commission and Oregon Parks and Recreation.